Wheel-angle indicator for automobiles



July 3, 1928.

w. J. MEREDITH WHEEL ANGLE INDICATOR FOR AUTOIOBILES med oct. 12, 1926 Patented July 3, 1928.

`WILLIAM rmnannrrmfor NEWTON, iowa.

WHEELA-ANGLE INDICATOR FOB. AUTOMOBILES.

Application una october 12, 192e. .serial No. 141,143.`

The objectot lnynvention is tolprovide means carried by the iront fenders of an automobile for indicating tothe driver the angularity ot the` front wheels relative `to the automobile body, said indicating device being provided `with means for illuminating the saine. I f i A further objectisto provide in connection with `a wheel angle indicatoridesigned to be carried bythe automobile fendersand to be actuated through the wheel spindles, improved inea-ns lor operatively,connecting said indicatorwith thensa'id wheel spindle, said -iueans beingadapted to lpermit free f. movement of the tender relativeto the said spindle. 4

A further `object to provide a wheel angle indicator"of-simple, durable and inex pensive construction, which may be easily and quickly appliedto various types ol automobile-s, and `which is Ttree Ifrom numerous pivoted or geared membersito eliminateunnecessary noise.

My invention consists in the construction, ai rement and combinationofthevarious par ,e thc device, whereby the objects ,con-

templated are attained,fas hereinafter more :i'fully set forth. pointed out in my claimspand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in :3u which:` y

flivigure V1v is a. side elevation offlnyi-ilnproved indicator. n

Figure 2 is ,a vertical, transverse, .sectional view of the' same.

ill

Figure 3 shows the rnanneri-n.which` my improved device isiapplied to anA automobile, theffender being in section. y i

Figure L is a perspective view-of the indicator operating mechanism.

y Figure-5 is a pers y ective view of arm 'lor operating t ie ,indicator.

`The numeral l indicates the `front/fender oif an automobile.y and` 1l theront axle; Each end of which is providedwithfa spindle .is yoke 12, in which ispivotally inounteda spiiidle sleeve 13 supporting the jwheel spindle Vieil. `The spindle and'its sleeve are provided with the usual steering mechanism which forms no part of `my lpresentinvente tion, and tor that reason is not illustrated.

Theieuder` 1C is provided with an opening l located vertically above the pivot center of the spindle sleeve 13. Supported iu the opening 15 is a collar 16 having a flange 5s' 17 Vwhich provides means for securing the collar rigidly to the fender l() by means ot' the crank suitablebpltsor rivets 1S. The collar 16 is provided withua sleeve .19 formed ot antiifiactioninaterial such as wood.

,Rotativelymounted in the sleeve 19 is a shaft ,20, the upper end ot' which is screw threaded and designed to support a hub-2l. Ehe saidlnib terminated ina cylindergcasing 22oneiend of said` casing being provided cal `casing 22 is4 provided with a semi-annular groove 27 for receiving a se1ni-cylindrical transparent ineinber'28. ,Seen red :to the yeasing22'is asimilar casing` 29rk arranged ina reverse manner. The casing 29 is `det-achi'iblysecuredito thecasing 22iby means of suitable `screws-30. The lmember `13 is ,preferably iformed of serniftransparent material such1 frosted glass or colored celluloid.

illins -itwillibeseen that by providing the casingsQQ and 29, Ifhave provided-yalamp container inf whic`h-islnounted an elect-ric lamp 31 supported `in the Ausual socket p32, saidisocket beingsec-,uredin the lower endof thelanip casing.` An electric conductor 33 is provided for illuminating the lamp, which may be carried, through the storage battery ini the,usual-marmer. l

,By this arrangement it will be `seen that the lamp casingis free to rotateaboutia vertical faxis, whichis iin: aliuement with the y axis of thelwlheel spindle. iTl'ie member 28` is of such `width that thevinner edges of they casings 22 .and 29 ,are supported `apart a slight distance, sogthata narrow slot 34 is provided between tlieedges of said casings, through which the light from the "lainp 31 may/'libe` radiated. loi ving the effect ,of a `narrow illuminated band` whichmay` be` clearly visibleiat night, said lband `,being lmounted in a plane parallel with the Wheel carried by the spindle 14.

For causing the casing 29 to turn in unison with the said wheel, I have provided ou the lower end of the shaft a crank arm 35,

Sil

llt)

V10. The inner end of said crank is riveted to a U-shaped spring 36 formed of fiattened steel. The ends of said spring project outwardly. The lower end of the spring 36 is rigidly secured to a vertically arranged clamping bar 3T slidabl mounted in a semicircular clampinor mem er 38 in the'manner clearly shown in ITigure 4. A similar clamping member 39 is provided which ma be adjustably and detachably secured to either the upper or lower end of the spindle sleeve 13 by means of suitable bolts 40. The bar 37 is adjustably secured in the member 38 by means of a set screw 41.

By this arrangement it will be seen that the device may be easily and quickly attached to automobiles of various dimensions between the fender and the spindle 14, lthe difference in distance being easil adjusted by means of the set screw 41. he clamps 38 and 39 are mounted on the spindle sleeve in such a manner that the sleeve is free to rotate about the spindle bolt 42 in the usual manner, and when it so rotates the lamp casings 22 and 29 will be rotated in unison therewith, to thereby provide means whereby the illuminated member 28 will alwa s be maintained in parallel relation with t e wheel, and provides means whereby the angularity of said wheel may be at all times ascertained.

By providing the spring 36 of flattened sheet metal, I have provided means whereby the lamp casing may always be rotated in unison with the wheel and at the same time permit the fender to move freely toward and from Vthe axles. By forming the spring of flattened steel sufiicient rigidness will be provided for imparting rotary movement from said spindle wheel to said lamp casings without the use of complicated mechanism.

It will further be seen that I have pro- Y vided a mechanism which is free of numerous ber to prevent clogging with mud and trash which might get on the wheel.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, an automobile axle, a fender yieldably mounted to move toward and from said axle, said axle being proeasing in unison with the angular movement of said spindle, comprising a clamp detachably secured to said sleeve, a clamping bar adjustably mounted in said clamp, an arm secured to the lower end'of the pivot of said lamp, and a U-shaped spring having one end secured to said clamping bar and its other end secured to said arm.

2. In combination, an automobile axle and a fender yieldably mounted to move toward and from said axle, a wheel spindle pivotally mounted in said axle, a flanged collar mounted in said fender having its opening in alinement with the pivotcenter of said spindle, a shaft rotatively mounted in said collar, a lamp casing secured to the upper end of said shaft, said lamp casing being provided with an illuminated direction-indieating device, a clamp detachably secured to said spindle, a camp bar adjustably mounted in said clamp, and a U-shaped spring having one of its ends secured to said clamp bar and the other end secured to the lower end of said shaft.

3. In combination, an automobile axle and a fender, said axle being provided witlia spindle and a spindle sleeve, said sleeve being pivotally mounted therein, a lamp casing secured to said fender and pivotally mounted in alinement with said spindle sleeve, said lamp being provided with an illuminated character to indicate direction,` a U-shaped resilient member having its closed portion extending inwardly, one end of said U- shaped member being connected to the lamp pivot and the other end detachably connected to said spindle sleeve.

4. Inv combination with an automobile chassis having a front axle and a fender yleldably mounted to move toward and from said axle, said axle being provided with a spindle and a spindle sleeve, a wheel for said spindle, a lamp casing pivotally mounted to said fender and in alinement with said sleeve, said lamp casing being provided with a narrow slot mounted in parallel relation with the automobile wheel, resilient means connecting said sleeve with said lamp Ycasing for imparting pivotal movement to said lamp casing, means for detachably connecting said resilient means to said spindle sleeve, and means for adjusting said resilient means with said clamping means.

Des Moines, Iowa, October 4, 1926.

WILLIAM J, MEREDITH.

(Iii 

